Dayglow Coffee

Dayglow was established in 2017 in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles by founder Tohm Ifergan, a former professional at Portola Coffee Roasters. The brand emerged as a neon-aesthetic, design-forward retail concept that prioritized the multi-roaster model—a business structure that had largely fallen out of favor in the broader specialty coffee industry at the time. By curating a rotating selection of coffees from 10 to 20 different international and domestic roasters, Dayglow positioned itself as a destination for coffee enthusiasts seeking access to global specialty brands that were otherwise difficult to source locally.

The company’s operational footprint expanded significantly beyond its initial Los Angeles location, growing into a multi-city presence with cafes in Chicago and Brooklyn. This growth was supported by a distinct retail philosophy that emphasizes education and interaction, utilizing modern brewing equipment like Modbar systems and Tone brewers to facilitate a high-touch service experience. The cafes are known for their "Signature Series" menus, which often feature complex, non-traditional ingredients such as distilled coffee, blue algae, and clarified matcha, reflecting a creative approach to coffee preparation.

In 2022, Dayglow evolved from a purely retail-focused entity into a roasting company. The roasting operations are based in a facility in Massachusetts, led by a team that includes Tohm Ifergan alongside Chris and Melissa Gatti. This transition allowed the brand to integrate its own single-origin offerings into its retail lineup, categorized by flavor profiles such as "Decadent," "Juicy," "Sweet," and "Creamy," rather than relying solely on external roasters.

Dayglow also operates a robust e-commerce platform that functions as an online grocery and subscription service for specialty coffee. This digital arm serves as a centralized marketplace for the various roasters the company features, allowing customers to purchase curated beans from global partners like La Cabra and Manhattan Coffee Roasters. The platform emphasizes transparency by providing details on the roasters' origins, founding dates, and specific flavor notes for each lot.

Sourcing for the company’s own roasted line focuses on high-quality single-origin lots, such as the Finca Fatima Garnica from Veracruz, Mexico. The company maintains a direct-to-consumer model for these products, with a weekly roasting schedule designed to ensure freshness. By managing both a curated retail marketplace and an internal production facility, Dayglow bridges the gap between a boutique coffee shop and a large-scale digital subscription service.

The brand’s influence on the specialty coffee industry is frequently cited in the context of the resurgence of the multi-roaster model. By successfully scaling a concept that relies on high-end, third-party partnerships while simultaneously developing its own roasting identity, Dayglow has become a notable case study in modern coffee retail. Its ability to maintain a consistent "ultramodern" brand identity across diverse urban markets has solidified its status as a significant player in the American specialty coffee landscape.